


But Never Enough

by brazenlyunabashedlyshamelessly



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: F/M, More angst, Still don't know what I'm doing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-04-02
Packaged: 2018-03-20 21:24:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3665562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brazenlyunabashedlyshamelessly/pseuds/brazenlyunabashedlyshamelessly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mandy's perspective of that scene with her and Lip in 5x03.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But Never Enough

Roaming hands, breathless kisses, Mandy pressing herself against Lip. God, she’d missed this so much. Mandy couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt this good, the last time she’d wanted to be touched like this. Knowing that she was leaving with Kenyatta in the morning had her clutching at Lip, needing him closer, just for a little while.

“Hey, wait, okay,” Lip said, pulling away from her for a moment. He cupped her face in his hands, expression unexpectedly serious. Mandy didn’t want to wait; she needed him to keep kissing her. But she stopped, because he’d asked her to. Meeting his gaze, what Mandy saw there almost made her flinch.

Lip was _looking_ at her, seeing her in a way he hadn’t since that time when they were still together. Mandy had missed it more than she’d realised.

“You are gorgeous, okay?” he said earnestly.

She didn’t say anything, wondering where all this was coming from. Had Ian said something? It wasn’t like Lip to just... say these things. She shifted uncomfortably, looking away from him.

“You’re sweet. You are funny. You’re very smart. You know that, right?” Lip continued. He hadn’t let go of her, was still being so gentle; the words scraped her raw.

“Shut up,” she finally told him with a self-conscious little laugh. Mandy ducked her head, embarrassed.

“Hey, hey.” Tilting her chin up so she’d meet his stare, Lip didn’t smile at her, or tease her the way she would’ve expected him to. He made no effort to lighten the mood. “I mean it, okay? You’re a good person, Mandy.”

Mandy didn’t know how to respond to that. She wanted to hear more, wanted to ask him to say it again; for a little while, she wanted to pretend that he was right, that she was everything he said. Hope sprang up before she could stop it.

“Thanks,” she whispered.

Reaching out for Lip, Mandy kissed him again, cutting off further conversation. She was desperate to lose herself in the feel of his hands on her, but couldn’t shut off her brain, couldn’t silence the niggling hope that maybe...

Maybe she didn’t have to leave.

“Wait, wait,” she said, being the one to break their kiss this time. Stepping away from him, Mandy ran her hands through her hair. She knew better than to ask, but the words tumbled out anyway.

“What is this?”

Lip gave her a confused look as she settled onto the bed.

“What is what?”

She hesitated at having to explain. Maybe she should just leave it alone, enjoy what he was willing to give her. Instead, Mandy gestured between the two of them.

“This. Us.”

Watching Lip, as he seemed to weigh his words, Mandy felt tendrils of hope spread through her. Maybe...

“We’re two people,” Lip began, beginning to tug her panties down, “who like each other’s bodies. And, uh, we’re very good at sex.”

_Oh._

“And what about your girlfriend?” Mandy asked, sliding back on the bed, working to hide her disappointment.

“What about her? She’s in Florida.”

“And then?” Maybe Lip would give her something.

“And I have no idea, okay? I’m here now.”

Lip leaned over her in the bed, his body covering hers. It felt good, familiar. He was here now. That should be enough. Still, Mandy couldn’t help but ask for just a little bit more.

“Are you going to visit her?” She could feel him pressing against her, and she spread her legs wider to accommodate him.

“In Miami? I don’t know; who knows?” he mumbled against her skin.

And then he was inside her. Mandy could feel her fingers digging into his shoulders. It felt so good to have him so close. His mouth travelled from her collarbone up to her cheek; his harsh, panting breaths were loud in her ear. Slow thrusts, soft touches, his heated gaze holding her own, and the words tore themselves free.

“I love you,” Mandy whispered.

Freezing above her, Lip didn’t say anything, staring at her. The silence stretched for a few seconds.

_Just give me something._

Lip began to move again, kissing the edge of her jaw, her neck. With each gentle caress, he broke something in her.

Gorgeous. Sweet. Funny. Smart. A good person.

But never enough.


End file.
